Question about Non-Rev on Paid Ticket

[night_ice]

I was wondering the following if a United Employee can answer, preferably a ticket agent:

Let's say one is an airline employee with another airline and this person is flying on a paid ticket to a destination overseas on UAL. If someone identifies himself/herself as another airline employeee when checking in, would you allow this person and guest an upgrade (Business or First) or not since it is an actual paid ticket but not an ID 75/90/95?

 

[SilentWarrior]

I am not a ticket agent or a United employee.

However, common sense would say that if you bought a full-fare ticket (by full-fare I simply mean non-airline discount) then you a entitled to the same upgrades and miles programs that “normal passengersâ€￾ get. This should be the same no matter the airline.

Of course that is common sense.... I await a post by someone in the know to be certain.

 

[night_ice]

I am not a ticket agent or a United employee.

However, common sense would say that if you bought a full-fare ticket (by full-fare I simply mean non-airline discount) then you a entitled to the same upgrades and miles programs that “normal passengersâ€￾ get. This should be the same no matter the airline.

Of course that is common sense.... I await a post by someone in the know to be certain.

For a lack of better wording,I meant an employee upgrade, as a courtesy-like when non-revs normally do when they fly interline, only they opted to buy a confirmed seat. If you check another airline employee in, and you upgrade them if there are no customers to upgrade and there are still seats open.
of course, having proof they are airline employees.

 

[novaqt]

For a lack of better wording,I meant an employee upgrade, as a courtesy-like when non-revs normally do when they fly interline, only they opted to buy a confirmed seat. If you check another airline employee in, and you upgrade them if there are no customers to upgrade and there are still seats open.
of course, having proof they are airline employees.

I believe the answer to your question would be "NO". However, if you are on a paid ticket, you may be able to purchase an upgrade at the airport. Not sure how much and I imagine it depends of fare paid. Of course, if you are a Mileage Plus member and have miles earned by MPI Visa card or paid flights on United or Star, you can use miles to upgrade. Also, if you have miles in Marriott or Hilton, you can have them transferred to your MPI acct. If you have AMEX reward miles, you can moved them to Marriott and then to Mileage Plus.

 

[eolesen]

When I was an agent, if I had to involuntary upgrade someone, I'd look for ID75's and ID90's first because I knew they'd appreciate it, they'd act appropriately, and were usually appropriately dressed.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Please don't take this as a complaint against UA or any of its employees - heck, my airline (US) charges its own employees an upgrade fee to sit in FC.

My wife & I flew UA from IAD to Europe the Jan after 911 - she was on a paid ticket and I requested jump seat. When I requested JS from the Captain, he graciously invited me to sit "anywhere" but when I explained that I was traveling with my wife who had a paid coach ticket he didn't expand that to include her.

Needless to say, I sat in back with her and we had a great flight (well, I was hoping to fly the 777 for the first time, but UA downgraded that route to a 767 after 911).

Jim

 

[synchronicity]

Please don't take this as a complaint against UA or any of its employees - heck, my airline (US) charges its own employees an upgrade fee to sit in FC.

My wife & I flew UA from IAD to Europe the Jan after 911 - she was on a paid ticket and I requested jump seat. When I requested JS from the Captain, he graciously invited me to sit "anywhere" but when I explained that I was traveling with my wife who had a paid coach ticket he didn't expand that to include her.

Needless to say, I sat in back with her and we had a great flight (well, I was hoping to fly the 777 for the first time, but UA downgraded that route to a 767 after 911).

Jim

A sort of opposite experience. I once flew back from Europe courtesy of work and had a business class seat (UAL). My wife (UAL employee, which is why I post here), who back then was just my fiancee, got on the same flight as a non-rev but was stuck in coach, as Business and First were both full up (or she didn't have enough seniority to get a non-rev seat up there). I volunteered to move back to coach to sit with her, or at least near her. The flight attendants convinced me to stay up in business class, but did proceed to lavish her with extra glasses of wine, assorted snacks and such, and generally treat her royally.

And just before we got off the plane, they gave us a bottle of champagne. Very nice of them.

Of course, she was a UAL employee flying on a UAL flight, so it's not the same issue. The only time we've flown interline was Air New Zealand coming back from Auckland.

-synchronicity

 

[UALIADCS]

As far as the first post goes NO, and to do so would be big "no-no" If a UA employee did that, they could lose their travel priviledges, it's considered fraud-- Policy says passenger would need to purchase upgrade, using money or miles or certificates. The gate agent, if they needed to do comp upgrades, would start with Global Svcs, Million Milers, 1k, Premier Exec, then Premiers. So, asking for an upgrade on a purchased ticket to sit with a non-rev would be wrong, and could create problems for the non-rever. Gate agents and flight attendants know these rules and some are very strict about adhering to them.

As for other airline employees flying non-rev on UA, generally you get the best seat possible, be that F, C, or Y, except internationally, then C or Y. Revenue, however, must sit in their assigned areas.